From how students attend schools to building projects, the Board of Education discussed a range of topics in 2021.

If a year could make a big entrance, 2021 did for Newtown Public Schools: In January, all Newtown Public School buildings opened for full in school student learning. A new schedule was implemented later in the month to make it happen for Newtown High School and Newtown Middle School, and the younger grades returned on January 4.

That same month, the school board began inspecting the proposed 2021-22 school district budget. The lingering topic at the time was 2020. The superintendent’s proposed budget was shared by Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue during a January 19 virtual meeting.

A public hearing was held later, and the school board unanimously approved its version of the budge at a February virtual meeting. The budget then went before the Board of Finance and Legislative Council before going to referendum in the spring for voter approval.

Also in January, the school board hired a new director of technology, Dennis Colclough, who began his position in February.

By March 2, Dr Rodrigue shared with the Board of Education that there was reason to be excited, as vaccinating Newtown’s teachers was set to start on March 6. Dr Rodrigue planned to work with Newtown Public Schools’ Nursing Supervisor Anne Dalton, RN, to draft an update for district staff that week regarding the vaccinations, according to meeting discussion.

“We’re just currently really excited that we will be able to reach as many staff [as possible],” Dr Rodrigue said. “This Saturday alone, we will vaccinate more than 550 employees.”

At that same meeting, Dr Rodrigue shared reflections on her 2020-21 goals, which were previously presented to the school board, and how the school year is progressing. Those goals included adhering to practices and protocols concerning COVID-19, efforts to communicate the district’s operational plan with the community, and developing “a systemic approach to the expectations and outcomes regarding diversity and equity.”

COVID-19 remained a topic for the Board of Education throughout the year. By May, Dr Rodrigue offered ways the state was preparing districts for the 2021-22 school year. The state would no longer obligate districts to provide remote learning, the superintendent shared, for the new school year.

At that same meeting, the board learned from Director of Business & Finance Tanja Vadas that the district’s contract for propane fuel for school buses for the 2021-22 school year was released in early March for companies to bid on it through a request for proposal (RFP) process.

“It also included a one-year extension to the contract,” said Vadas.

The bids were received on April 23. After board discussion, the members present for the May 4 virtual meeting voted to accept Hocon Gas as the provider for the contract.

Profiles In Professionalism

At its next meeting, the school board met in person at Newtown High School’s auditorium. The district’s Profiles in Professionalism awardees were celebrated at the May 18 meeting. NHS Athletic Director Matt Memoli offered a presentation about the district’s Athletics Program, and Bob Gerbert Jr, Newtown’s director of facilities, presented information to the BOE to award the contract for the Reed Intermediate School lighting and boiler project to Greenleaf Energy.

With school still in attendance for the 2020-21 school year, public speakers at the June 1 Board of Education meeting urged district leaders to think about allowing students to not wear masks in the fall, especially in the lower grade levels.

The Board of Education also celebrated retiring educators at its June 1 meeting. Dr Rodrigue shared that, in total, the retiring educators completed 439 years in Newtown and 653 years in education, including other districts.

The Board of Education unanimously hired Hawley Elementary School lead teacher Jenna Connors at its June 15 meeting to be Reed Intermediate School’s new assistant principal. The position was left open by Reed Assistant Principal Jill Beaudry’s retirement.

With planning for Hawley Elementary School’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) project in process, the Board of Education learned July 6 about two potential options for completing the work in the 2022-23 school year.

The Board of Education then voted at a July 20 special meeting to support an option to relocate students for the 2022-23 school year during the completion of a Hawley Elementary School heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) project.

“This is definitely the best [option] for the kids,” then Board of Education Vice Chair Dan Delia said after moving to approve the option over another that would have kept some students in the school while the project was underway. “It’s the safest, the healthiest, and it is the most conducive to learning. I’m in full support of this motion.”

On August 11, a quorum of four Board of Education members unanimously authorized Dr Rodrigue to make changes to its 2021-22 Return To School Plan following an executive order by the governor.

Director of Business & Finance Tanja Vadas shared summaries of the school district’s 2020-21 fiscal year-end budget report, and the first budget report for the 2021-22 fiscal year at the Board of Education’s meeting on August 25. About $366,000 remained in encumbrances for the 2020-21 fiscal year, according to Vadas.

“The balance change from May to June accounted for an additional $13,281, bringing our year-end balance to $27,238,” Vadas said. “This unexpended amount is well under the 2% of budget and is eligible for deposit into the nonlapsing account.”

The Board of Education approved its 10-year capital improvement plan (CIP) at its September 8 meeting. Its CIP then moved to the Board of Finance for review. The CIP maps out prioritized proposed building projects and anticipated expenses.

At the same meeting, the BOE approved a pilot for a new district-wide student assessment i-Ready.

The Board of Education celebrated Newtown’s Teacher of the Year and Paraeducator of the Year at its September 21 meeting.

“Tonight we are celebrating two outstanding staff members,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue at the meeting.

Best Of The Year

Before the end of the 2020–21 school year, Jill Gonski was named as the Newtown Teacher of the Year and Dorothy Kelly was announced as Newtown’s Paraeducator of the Year, both for the 2021–22 school year. Kelly works at Hawley Elementary School and Gonski is a special education teacher at Newtown High School.

There was another reason to celebrate at the September 21 meeting: After years, Newtown High School’s New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Inc, accreditation process was concluded, and it is almost time to begin again. As NHS Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco explained in an update on the high school’s NEASC accreditation process at the Board of Education’s September 21 meeting, the original NEASC visit was in October 2015.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion was a main topic for the Board of Education during its October 5 meeting. Ahead of a report on diversity and inclusion efforts from the last year, Dr Rodrigue introduced the recently hired school district Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Wesley Johnson at the meeting.

According to Rodrigue, Johnson was strongly endorsed by two interview committees.

“We are so excited to have you join Newtown Public Schools,” said Rodrigue.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to enter into this space,” said Johnson at the meeting. Later he said he is “ready to go” while recognizing that there are “strong positions” regarding the role of coordinator.

Another topic that the Board of Education oversaw between September and October was bus driver shortages, which Dr Rodrigue said all districts were dealing with. The superintendent explained “for very good reasons” people had called out of work and the bus driver shortage meant there were not enough substitute drivers. The district had been trying to rotate which bus routes are “parked,” and Rodrigue said later pickup and early drop-offs have been made available for parents.

“In talking with [All-Star Transportation], we have drivers testing in early November, which is the earliest date DMV has been able to accommodate given the backlog across the state,” she said. “Meanwhile, All-Star is doing its best to monitor bus driver absences and to seek out support from other town bus depots.”

Student performance and test data was discussed in mid-October, including results from the pilot i-Ready pilot.

Also in November, the Board of Education denied a grievance filed by the Newtown Paraeducators Association that questioned the application of wage increases. Shipman & Goodwin Attorney Richard Mills spoke for the district, while Neubert, Pepe & Monteith Attorney Lucas Rocklin represented the paraeducators union at the meeting. Discussion on the main disagreement centered around which years an employee would reach the next wage tier.

At its final meeting of the Board of Education before newly elected individuals took their seats, three members who are stepping down were celebrated by Dr Rodrigue.

“This evening’s Celebration of Excellence is bittersweet as we say farewell to three very dedicated Board of Education members,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue.

Dr Rodrigue said she was speaking on behalf of the entire school district in recognizing the three Board of Education members who are stepping down from their positions — Chair Michelle Embree Ku, Vice Chair Dan Delia, and member Debbie Leidlein. Ku was elected to the Legislative Council and began her time on that board in December.

On December 7 the school board approved having December 14 be a remote learning day for Newtown Public Schools.

At that same meeting, the school board elected new leadership. It was also the first meeting for newly elected members Don Ramsey, Janet Kuzma, and Jennifer Larkin. Board of Education member Dan Cruson, Jr, was also elected to return to the school board. As voted at the meeting, Deborra Zukowski was elected as chair, John Vouros was elected as vice chair, and Ramsey was elected to become secretary.

As the year was coming to a close, the school board learned Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue will retire at the end of the 2021-22 school year, as covered in the related story in this week’s print edition.

Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.